Phase-only predistortion for LINC amplifiers with Chireix-outphasing combiners

Abstract

Nonlinearities in linear amplification with nonlinear components (LINC) amplifiers using Chireix-outphasing combiners are studied and their sources are identified. A generalized analytical approach for finding phase-only predistortion functions to linearize these amplifiers is presented. Two distinct analytical solutions are found and are applied for phase-only linearization. The first solution consists of a static constant phase predistortion, which is introduced in one of the two RF amplifier branches. This constant phase is determined analytically as function of the value of the reactance of the stub used in the Chireix combiner. The second solution is a variable phase-distortion function, which is derived in explicit form. The two predistortion functions preserve constant envelope operation of the amplifiers. The impact of the two predistortion functions on the combiner efficiency is also investigated. It is found, through simulation with a code-division multiple-access signal and an experimental measurement with a 16 quadrature-amplifier-modulation signal that the two predistortion functions perfectly linearize the amplifier. It also shown analytically that, with perfect linearity, the efficiency of Chireix-outphasing amplifier is reduced and is, at best, equal to that of the LINC amplifier with a resistive combiner.